Immigration group wants Georgia GOP to pass bill

ATLANTA - Immigration reform supporters are making a big push before Republicans start to debate the bill in Washington Wednesday.

Ana Michelle Morales and her family came to the United States 13 years ago. Morales told Channel 2’s Craig Lucie she believes if the immigration reform bill is not passed in the House, there will be a backlash.

“If they don’t approve the bill, most of the people are going to move to a place where they are not targeted,” explained Morales. “I think everybody needs it.”

Morales and members of Georgia immigration reform groups met in front of Georgia’s Republican Headquarters on Tuesday.

“To continue the effort at the national level the Senate passed the bill. President Obama is ready to pass the bill. All we need to do is get the House of Representatives to come to their senses and realize it’s a win/win and pass the bill,” said Ev Howe at the rally.

Along with signs, people also brought a painted sheet portraying the American flag as a wall.

“The wall is symbolic of the obstruction that we see in Congress. It separates families,” explained Stacey Hopkins, who supports the immigration reform bill.

Supporters said the bill being debated now gives 11 million immigrants a path to citizenship. A spokesman at Georgia’s GOP headquarters told us the current bill has too many problems.

“It’s a blanket amnesty bill. It rewards the illegal action by those in the past. We can’t go further until the border is secured,” said GOP spokesman Ryan Mahoney.

Immigration reform groups are holding similar rallies all over the nation. House Republicans will hold a caucus Wednesday and then start debating the bill.